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Weighing up its options as to how it will offer high-definition and even Ultra HD content to mobile platforms, Japan’s leading telco NTT DOCOMO has engaged Ericsson to supply essential delivery technology.

Ericsson’s Unified Delivery Network (UDN) solution, the first deployed by the firm in Japan, will enable NTT DOCOMO subscribers to access and enjoy a diverse range of high quality content over the operator’s mobile network.

The UDN is essentially a global content delivery network (G-CDN) that connects content providers with the last mile reach of network operators. The content distribution platform aggregates and exposes network capabilities in the public domain, allowing services to be optimised and monetised. It offers service providers the ability to efficiently scale the delivery of over-the-top services and high quality video content, and addresses the needs of both service and content providers.

The partnership with NTT DOCOMO will unlock existing network capabilities to create new revenue streams around next-generation digital and media services. Content distribution services will be rolled out first, followed by future value-added features such as toll-free data. “For future services, NTT DOCOMO foresees that consumption of 4K video, virtual reality and augmented reality content will increase and believes a platform like a UDN adds value in the high speed 5G era,” revealed Takaaki Sato, general manager of service design department at NTT DOCOMO.

Added Cillilan Maher, head of UDN service provider partnerships at Ericsson: “As part of a broader ecosystem that now encompasses 55 content providers and 40 service providers around the world, NTT DOCOMO will be able to significantly advance the traditional content delivery network model. As a service provider partner, they will be able to garner incremental revenue and can participate as a content provider, driving traffic through both their own network and the UDN ecosystem.”